'Frustrated' Lockyer not impressed with 'inconsistency' from the officials during Luton's stoppage time defeat at Boro

Town defender Tom Lockyer was left doubly frustrated with his side’s inability to hold on for a point and some of the ‘inconsistency’ in referee Gavin Ward’s decision-making during their 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough on Saturday.

The Hatters, who had led through Jordan Clark’s first half strike, swiftly cancelled out by Chuba Akpom’s header, were down to 10 men for the final 17 minutes, Amari’i Bell, sent off for his second booking for yet another foul on the dangerous Isaiah Jones, an aberration that was always on the cards.

It left the Hatters a player light for the final stages, as they looked like holding on until Matt Crooks was left unmarked to volley past Ethan Horvath in the first minute of stoppage time.

Although having no issues with his team-mate’s dismissal, Lockyer was disappointed with some of the calls that went against his side in the 90 minutes, saying: “It’s disappointing to concede so late on, very frustrating, there’s a few down lads in there.

"After the sending off it was a backs against the wall job and being happy to take the point in the end.

"I don’t feel like we deserved to lose like that, but sometimes you don’t always get what you deserve in football.

“I actually think the ref got that one right, the red card, but every time he (Jones) went down in the game, it was a free kick, he couldn’t wait to give it.

“It didn't help us and then with the free kick before the goal, Pelly’s gone to block a cross and the geezer’s kicked him, so I don’t know what you want him to do?

"If that’s up the other end, I highly doubt he gives it.

"He couldn’t wait to give everything, obviously you have to be careful what you say, they’re overprotected the referees, so very frustrating.”

Midway through the second half, Lockyer, who saw yellow himself for a trip on Akpom and then got involved in a verbal battle with Marcus Forss, also spoke with Ward as well for what he felt was a clear offence against him.

He continued: “The geezer, he scraped straight down my Achilles and called me something not so nice and the ref just said it’s fine.

"I said, ‘well that’s exactly what you booked Amari’i for in the first half apparently.’

"So the inconsistency, I have to be careful as I’m going to get fined or whatever because they’re over protected, so, annoying.”

Although exasperated to have been beaten so late on, Luton didn’t really threaten as a team in the second period bar an early effort from the defender himself, volleying badly wide from Alfie Doughty’s free kick when completely unmarked inside the area.

He added: “I should have gone back across really, it was a bit of an error on my part.

"It’s frustrating as when you look back at it, it’s probably a really good chance, so frustrating.

"I feel like I’ve said frustrating a lot today, it’s the overall feeling which is a shame.

"We’d have liked to have started the new manager’s campaign with a win, but it wasn’t to be and even if we did win, we wouldn't have been getting carried away anyway.

"We still have our goals we’ve set and a loss today doesn’t change that.”